Segovia, Spain. I remember arriving on a sunny mid-November morning at the outskirts of the town of Segovia, Spain, and seeing for the first time the magnificent Roman aqueduct there. The warm winter light bathed the imposing arches, accentuating the majestic masculine stone features (Image 1 below). The structure serves as a symbolic gateway to the old medieval city to the north, and the gridded Roman encampment to the south, with the Cardo and Decumanus arteries that define any Roman military settlement. 

Vienna stairs Jože Plečnik, Part 2. As much as the Zacherl House expresses the promise of modernism to come—from site strategy, structure, treatment of the façade, and ornamentation (previous blog)—I want to also celebrate the entrance sequence which, for me, makes this building so memorable. Perhaps this is because much research on the Zacherl House fails to go in depth regarding the staircase and because I find this particular space so beautifully orchestrated. 

Vienna: a lesson in stairs (Joze Plecnik), Part 1. Each time I visit Vienna, the capital of the former Austro-Hungarian empire, it exhorts in me a mysterious feeling. First because I keep such fond childhood memories from there, and second because, as an architect, I have great sympathy for the city’s opulence in all matters of the fine arts and design. As a society, we have come to admire the magnificent artifacts that were created over the centuries, but those that retain my attention are from the turn of the 19th century, a period which reflected a new and rich artistic era when the city moved from eclecticism to modern functionalism. 

Lexington: a lesson in stairs (Jose Oubrerie). If you are unfamiliar with the Miller House designed by José Oubrerie, let me introduce you to this magnificent work of art through the lens of a particular element, namely a stair that is both architecture and an elaborate piece of furniture.

Inventing versus re-inventing. In past blogs, I stated that my academic and professional interest favors re-invention over invention. Working in the creative field of architecture surrounded by colleagues and students who thrive on furthering their art form, I always find it curious when reviewing student work, how many of them claim to invent a site strategy, to organize domesticity, or state a position in architecture that wants to be new.

“The distinguishing feature of great beauty is that it should surprise to an indifferent degree, which continuing, and then augmenting, is finally changed to wonder and admiration.”

                                             Montesquieu (1689-1755)